San Diego  A San Diego mother who tortured her daughter with punches, kicks and insults for 17 months, until her blows killed the 9-year-old last year, was sent to prison Tuesday for a term of 15 years to life.

Elizabeth Holloway is shown on Christmas Eve 2010 at a family party. The 9-year-old died Jan. 17, 2011, after a blow to her body by her mother, Crystal Cardenas.— Family photo

Elizabeth Holloway is shown on Christmas Eve 2010 at a family party. The 9-year-old died Jan. 17, 2011, after a blow to her body by her mother, Crystal Cardenas.
/ Family photo

Willie Holloway Jr. speaks in San Diego Superior Court on Tuesday during the sentencing of his daughter's mother, Crystal Cardenas, in the girl's killing. Elizabeth Holloway was 9 when she died.— K.C. Alfred

Willie Holloway Jr. speaks in San Diego Superior Court on Tuesday during the sentencing of his daughter's mother, Crystal Cardenas, in the girl's killing. Elizabeth Holloway was 9 when she died.
— K.C. Alfred

Faced with a torrent of scorn and anger from family members in the downtown courtroom, Cardenas bowed her head and cried at times.

Elizabeth’s father, Willie Holloway Jr., wiped tears from his eyes, looked at Cardenas and told her, “I don’t know how you could do this to her. I just want justice. I’m going to leave it in God’s hands.”

He then turned and bolted from the room.

His father, Willie Holloway Sr., told the judge he felt partly to blame for not knowing what was happening to his granddaughter.

“Who would stoop that low to do that,” he said.

An aunt, Angela Holloway, said that perhaps the family could have helped Elizabeth more, “but not one of us made her die.”

Other family members sobbed as Eyherabide told them no one should have suffered as Elizabeth did.

“There was no one to blame except Cardenas,” the judge said.

She said Cardenas will remain in prison a full 15 years, then it will be up to the state parole board whether she serves additional time.

Elizabeth had endured brutality at the hands of Cardenas and her boyfriend, Lorenzo Castillo, after going to live with them in September 2009, authorities said. She previously lived with her father’s family.

Cardenas inflicted “slapping, punching, kicking, choking, stomping and actually burned her daughter,” Deputy District Attorney Lindsey Krause told the judge. “Ms. Cardenas talked to her daughter like she was a piece of trash and discarded her like a piece of trash.”

Cardenas, Castillo, Elizabeth and two younger siblings moved into a Mountain View apartment in January 2011. Castillo is Elizabeth’s paternal uncle.

A few days after the move, Cardenas beat and kicked Elizabeth in the stomach. The child later told her sister, then age 7, that she thought she was going to die.

Elizabeth became increasingly ill, and at home on Jan. 17, stopped breathing. Cardenas carried her outside and screamed, and a neighbor began CPR on the child. Elizabeth died at a hospital.

Family said at the time of Elizabeth’s death that she enjoyed listening to YouTube music videos and playing with her cousins.

A few weeks after the killing, Cardenas was arrested on charges of murder, torture and five counts of child abuse. She pleaded guilty on Aug. 21 to second-degree murder, which carries a sentence of 15 years to life.

Castillo was arrested on the same charges as Cardenas. He pleaded guilty in December to one count of felony child abuse resulting in great bodily injury. He was sentenced to nine years in prison.

Defense attorney Megan Marcotte said that as a child, Cardenas suffered physical and abuse from her own mother. Cardenas was pregnant when she was jailed last year. The baby and the other children are being cared for by Cardenas’ brother, Marcotte said.